The Modern Dance

Rating

Album: The Modern Dance
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Non-alignment Pact	More Info...	0:03
2)	The Modern Dance	More Info...	0:03
3)	Laughing	More Info...	0:04
4)	Street Waves	More Info...	0:03
5)	Chinese Radiation	More Info...	0:03
6)	Life Stinks	More Info...	0:02
7)	Real World	More Info...	0:04
8)	Over My Head	More Info...	0:03
9)	Sentimental Journey	More Info...	0:06
10)	Humor Me	More Info...	0:02

Album: The Modern Dance
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Non-alignment Pact	More Info...	0:03
2)	The Modern Dance	More Info...	0:03
3)	Laughing	More Info...	0:04
4)	Street Waves	More Info...	0:03
5)	Chinese Radiation	More Info...	0:03
6)	Life Stinks	More Info...	0:02
7)	Real World	More Info...	0:04
8)	Over My Head	More Info...	0:03
9)	Sentimental Journey	More Info...	0:06
10)	Humor Me	More Info...	0:02

Performer Notes

Pere Ubu: Tom Herman, Scott Krauss, Tony Maimone, Allen Ravenstine, David Thomas (vocals, various instruments).
Recording information: Suma (11/1977).
Photographer: Mik Mellen.
It is hard to believe that such noises could come from so deep in America's heartland, played by a group named after a French absurdist play. The debut album by Pere Ubu, The Modern Dance is the realization of group leader David Thomas's (a.k.a. Crocus Behemoth) high-concept vision of a rock band whose sound was always just on the verge of falling apart. Avant garde and not terribly accessible, the album's noisy anarchy was a tonic for punks and intellectuals sick of the bloated, corporate sound that passed for commercial rock at the time. It became a major influence on the leading alternative bands of the following decade, including the Pixies and Husker Du.

Professional Reviews

Spin (5/01, p.109) - Ranked #14 in Spin's "50 Most Essential Punk Records" - "...Ubu were punk's greatest no-future futurists..."

Q (p.123) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[I]f you're curious about the original post-punks, THE MODERN DANCE remains absolutely essential."

The Wire (p.62) - "[With] impatient energy, out-of-nowhere sci-fi synthesizer playing...crowd-roaring, and David Thomas's astonishing voice..."

Mojo (Publisher) (3/03, p.76) - Ranked #34 in Mojo's "Top 50 Punk Albums" - "...Pere Ubu worked fearlessly on a planet of their own..."